The embodiments herein relate generally to small appliances. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to an automated brush cleaning and drying apparatus for use with makeup brushes.
Dirty and/or used makeup brushes are breeding grounds for bacteria, which multiply quickly unless the brushes are routinely cleaned. Bacteria growth in makeup brushes can cause acne breakouts in users upon contact and decay in the makeup brush's shelf life. Many people are unaware of how often cosmetic brushes should be cleaned. Currently, it takes approximately up to 24 hours to wash and dry makeup brushes manually by hand or while utilizing available cleaning tools or machines.
The current methods and/or devices for cleaning makeup brushes rely on the user's determination of, if and when, the brushes need cleaning and require the user to be present while the brushes are being cleaned. As such, these conventional cleaning methods require user involvement during the brush cleaning process. These cleaning methods have further limitations in that they do not speed up the drying time of the brushes and can potentially damage the brushes by loosening the glue that holds the hair or synthetic fibers in place, thereby permanently misshaping the brushes. Other brush cleaning devices disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0096801 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,640,941 do not clean and dry brushes effectively and efficiently.
As such, there is a need in the industry for a makeup brush cleaning and drying apparatus that overcomes the limitations of the prior art. Specifically, there is a need for an apparatus designed to easily wash and dry makeup brushes with enhanced effectiveness and efficiency. This significantly cuts down the time to wash and dry the makeup brushes, which permits the user to use the cleaned makeup brushes within the same day.